Vincent H Pala is a maverick. He is a civil engineer by profession. He joined electoral politics in his midlife, got Vincent H Pala is a maverick. He is a civil engineer by profession. He joined electoral politics in his midlife, got a party ticket, won the Lok Sabha seat and became a Union minister — all in the first attempt. Odds were heavily against him all the time, more from within his party than outside. But still he managed.Pala won on Congress ticket in 2014 when the party lost all over the country and most of its heavyweights were grounded. This time, he is trying for a hat-trick. The regional parties, which earlier used to split anti-Pala votes helping him immensely, have put up a joint candidate, Jemino Mawthoh, from the United Democratic Party. The BJP has also put up a candidate against Pala. The Congress is no more in power either at the Centre or in the state unlike in 2009 and 2014. With former chief minister Mukul Sangma contesting the Tura seat, most of the party’s attention is focused there. Despite all these, CK Nayak caught up with him at his residence in Shillong soon after his tireless campaigning on Sunday.
ST: You are trying for a hat-trick this time from Shillong. How confident are you considering that in the last Lok Sabha polls, your party could win only 44 seats? Meanwhile, your party has also lost power at the Centre, in the state as well as in the district councils.
Vincent Pala: The very fact that I could win even among the 44 MPs speaks for itself. I am confident that I will win. I am also confident that my party will come back to power at the Centre.
But as you know each election is different and different factors work during each poll. Remaining in power at the Centre, in state or district council is certainly not a factor for winning or losing. To me what matters is my performance and link with the people. I am in constant touch with my constituency. I have given the entire MPLADS fund for my constituency that too in a very transparent manner. So I hope people will vote for me again.
ST: The last two terms when you won, there were multiple candidates that apparently helped you in getting more votes. This time there is a common candidate from the ruling MDA. Do you think this will mar your chances of winning?
VP: The candidates of other parties took their own votes. Now if they are not there, their votes will go either way. Why only I will lose. I may gain.
Second, where are the united candidates? My opponent is contesting on UDP ticket. Regional parties in Meghalaya could never fight together in the past. There might be one candidate of one regional party. But it is not necessary that leaders of other regional parties are fully supporting him. Moreover, voters vote both for the candidate and for the party. If a particular party has not put any candidate, voters will decide their votes for other candidates not parities.
Third, where is the unity in MDA? BJP is part of the government and in fact, the ministry too. But they have put candidates both in Shillong and Tura. What sort of unity is this? You are in ruling and you are also in opposition! Whatever suits you! This is nothing but opportunistic politics.
ST: During most part of your political career you remained an MP, once as Union minister. Do you have any chance to come back to state politics?
VP: For the past 10 years and now I am contesting as MP. As you said I was a Union minister. I cannot say anything about state politics. Moreover, in our party, only the candidate does not take a decision. It is the party that takes the final call. The party also sees interest of the state, the country and itself and not of the candidate. I will abide by the party’s decision. But right now the fight is for Lok Sabha. ST: Your were dropped from the ministry during Dr Manmohan Singh’s term as prime minister. Why?
VP: What you are not realising is that I became a Union Minster even though I was a first-time MP. I was given an additional portfolio during one of the reshuffles. In one reshuffle I was not dropped but the party wanted to utilise my services in some other way. They did it too.
ST: In what way they utilised your services? You were not taken into AICC.
VP: Getting a post in AICC or ministry is not the only way the Grand Old Party can utilise the services of a sitting MP.
ST: Then in what way your party utilised your services?
VP: I cannot tell you in what way my party utilised my services. But I was given the post of working president in the state since I was useful to the state. But I did serve my people all through my term and so I was reelected.
ST: On both occasions (2014 and 2009) your party was in power in the state and at the Centre. Now your party has lost power. The number of MLAs in Khasi-Jaintia Hills is also less this time. On whose support you think you can win?
VP: Remaining in power in the state does not necessarily help a Lok Sabha candidate. As you know each election is different from the other and so also the issues. Just see the recent results. Our party got back to power in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh only recently even if the Congress was not in power at the Centre. BJP won in Uttar Pradesh when Akhilesh Yadav of SP was in power. But the saffron party lost most of the subsequent by-elections to the assemblies and Lok Sabha even in Gorakhpur, the home constituency of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the BJP lost within a span of few months of wining it.
We will win both the seats.
ST: Why do you think you and your party will win both the seats?
VP: The NDA led by BJP where NPP, UDP and some regional parties of Meghalaya are partners has not delivered what it promised. The country’s economy has slowed down and there are communal and ethnic feelings everywhere. The recent controversial CAB has done great damage in the North East and created a sense of distrust in the minds of people. The Congress government was not like that, so people will vote us back to power everywhere.
ST: But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a tirade against corruption all over the country?
VP: That is only eyewash. How much black money was recovered after the painful demonetization? The criticism came from top RBI brass only. So also the painful process of implementing the GST. Many small entrepreneurs have lost their living. Now everything will bounce back.
ST: But the Prime Minister has inaugurated many mega projects in the North East…
VP: Most of such big projects were taken up and even on the verge of completion during the UPA regime. Modi only cut the ribbon where the projects after giving finishing touches.
ST: What have you done during all these years?
VP: Whatever development you are witnessing in Meghalaya today was the contribution of the UPA Government where I played a big role. The Guwahati-Shillong national highway, Shillong bypass, Guwahati-Tura highways, Shillong-Dawki roads were followed up by me when I was an MP.
But apart from the big projects whenever the state or its people needed any help I helped irrespective of their party affiliations or region to which they belonged.
ST: When the UPA and your party performed in Meghalaya then why did the Congress lost the last Assembly polls?
VP: Just count the number of MLAs in the present Assembly. The Congress came out as the single largest party. And many MLAs in the present dispension are from our party. There could have been misunderstanding and communication gap. We were not allowed to form the Government.
ST: UDP leaders have alleged that you have not taken up the coal ban issue with the Centre.
VP: This is far from truth. I raised the issue on the floor of the house every year. I met the President, wrote to Prime Minister several times on this issue.
ST: Conrad and other regional party leaders say national parties like BJP cannot even perceive the problems of the North East.
VP: Conrad himself was in a national party NCP. Agatha who is contesting now was a minister as MP from the same party. Now overnight they are saying national parties cannot do anything for the Northeast. The BJP, which is a national party, is still a coalition partner headed by NPP. NPP is also a part of BJP-led NDA at the Centre. If that is the actual stand of Conrad he should have dropped the BJP Minister from his council of ministry and withdraw NPP from BJP-led NDA.